British Politics
Been on holiday for a few weeks, surprised to find no general discussion of British politics so though I'd kick one off.
Tory leadership contest is quickly turning into farce. Trump has backed Boris, which should be reason enough for anyone with half a brain to exclude him.
Of the other candidates Rory Stewart looks the best of the outsiders. Surprised to see Cleverly and Javid not further up the betting, but not sure the Tory membership are ready for a brown PM.
https://www.oddschecker.com/politics/bri...
Regarding the LD leadership contest, Jo Swinson is miles ahead of any other candidate (and indeed any of the Tory lot). Should be a shoe in.
Finally, it's Groundhog Day in Labour - the more serious the anti-Semitism claims get, the more Corbyn's cronies write their own obituary by blaming it on outlandish conspiracy theories - this week, it's apparently the Jewish Embassy's fault...
We may die of poisoning but at least we will die in charge of our own sovereignty *
* except for NATO membership
Quick google showed AfD had it in their thoughts recently....
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/j...
And AfD would of course start pushing for that if it smelled blood in the water
Yes, but EU membership has about 80% support in Germany and, although AfD are polling quite well, they're some way short of power (in any of the Lander, never mind the federal parliament) and their declared policy is to try for EU reform first, with a Leave referendum supposedly as a last resort. Clearly the referendum would fail as things stand. It's possible at some point, if present trends continue, but not for a while yet.
Yes, but EU membership has about 80% support in Germany and, although AfD are polling quite well, they're some way short of power (in any of the Lander, never mind the federal parliament) and their declared policy is to try for EU reform first, with a Leave referendum supposedly as a last resort. Clearly the referendum would fail as things stand. It's possible at some point, if present trends continue, but not for a while yet.
Not all Afd voters are anti EU membership at all. maybe it was true when afd was at 8-10%, it certainly isn't now.
They just want no more unfiltered low skilled migration from Muslim countries
He's clearly not wrong about the silly Sue Gray row and Starmer having his nose in the trough.
You can feel a country is dead broke if people quibble about pocket change being given to politicians.
No that’s not the reason at all.
Interesting
The latest Opinium poll reveals that Starmer’s approval rating has plunged below that of the Tory leader Rishi Sunak, suffering a huge 45-point drop since July. While 24% of voters approve of the job he is doing, 50% disapprove, giving him a net rating of -26%. Sunak’s net rating is one point better.
Well if all you can offer is austerity by any other name, it's all you can expect.
Who would have thought that having policies might be a good idea?
Preening contemptuous dishonesty doesn't seem popular for some reason.
I'm genuinely curious what you'd like to see in the place of austerity. I know you've voted Tory (and for other parties) before and I'm interested in how you'd deal with the dire situation in the UK when most people are blathering about fixed size cakes and national debt.
This graph sums up Labour's performance so far quite well.
Starmer could be in trouble if this carries on. No charisma, no vision and most importantly no policies that will make a difference to working people.
They have a policy and there are detailed plans that will make a huge difference to working people.
First they will do the 'prudent' bit. Then they will claim their brilliant hard decisions has attracted huge investment to the uk.
The Labour party has a plan for returning to power: it will get BlackRock to rebuild Britain. Its reasoning is straightforward. A cash-strapped government that wants to avoid tax increases or austerity has no choice but to partner with big finance, attracting private investment to rebuild the infrastructure that is crumbling after years of Tory underinvestment. Labour has already done the arithmetic: to mobilise £3 of private capital from institutional investors, you need to offer them £1 in public subsidies. But every time you hear Labour announce such an infrastructure partnership, think of the hidden politics. BlackRock will privatise Britain – our housing, education, health, nature and green energy – with our taxpayer money as sweetener.
BlackRock has long peddled the idea of public-private partnerships for infrastructure, climate and development. Yet its political momentum has recently accelerated. When its chair, Larry Fink, the world’s most powerful financier, sat with world leaders at the G7 summit last month, he promised the following: rich countries need growth, infrastructure investment can deliver that growth, but public debt is too high for the state alone to invest the estimated $75tn (£59tn) necessary by 2040. Trillions, however, are available to asset managers who look after our pensions and insurance contributions (BlackRock, the largest of these firms, manages about $10tn, as a shrinking welfare state pushes us – future pensioners – into its arms).
This graph sums up Labour's performance so far quite well.
Starmer could be in trouble if this carries on. No charisma, no vision and most importantly no policies that will make a difference to working people.
There is no money though, if the people want more money spent on them no party would be able to satisfy them
It's nonsense that "there's no money". 860Bn of the "national debt" is money owned by the government to itself.
Ask yourself what would happen if money was suddenly needed to fund another war.
There's always money when the stock market or pound need propping up, or a war is to be fought, but never when investment in the infrastructure or skills is needed.
I'm genuinely curious what you'd like to see in the place of austerity. I know you've voted Tory (and for other parties) before and I'm interested in how you'd deal with the dire situation in the UK when most people are blathering about fixed size cakes and national debt.
Kenyesian buy yourself out of it, using house building as a key driver. Even if it doesn't entirely work out, more houses.
Also cancel student debt, and reintroduce grants instead of loams for desired industry sectors where there are clear shortages in recruitment (eg nurses)
i think making working class boys and girls who enter work at 18 pay for middle class boys and girls to get shitfaced for three years (which, to be clear, is very much the median university experience) is a horrible idea and i dont know why its so popular
I don t think drinking properly is that common anymore
We haven't posted about the fayed mass rape/cover up story. So bad
‘Remorseless, ruthless, racist’: my battle to expose Mohamed Al Fayed
As UK editor of Vanity Fair, from the 1990s I amassed appalling testimonies about the Harrods owner of sex abuse, racism and spying on staff
https://www.theguardian.com/global/2024/...
Can't help but wonder if starmer is going to get dragged into it. The usual press is already there but this may have proper legs given fayed significence with the establishment. Maybe it didn't reach starmer's desk but then again maybe it did.
CPS twice did not prosecute Fayed over sex abuse claims
The Crown Prosecution Service has said that it twice considered bringing charges against ex-Harrods owner Mohammed Al Fayed but concluded there was no realistic prospect of a conviction.
Police officers presented the CPS with evidence in 2009 and 2015 "which our prosecutors looked carefully at", it confirmed.
Fresh allegations are being made about the late billionaire, who died last year at the age of 94.
A BBC documentary has led to dozens of women coming forward to say they were raped or sexually assaulted by the businessman.
In 2008, the Metropolitan Police investigated Fayed after a 15-year-old girl said he sexually assaulted her in the Harrods boardroom.
The force said it handed a file of evidence to the CPS - a step which has to be taken before charges can be issued.
I remember decades ago, Private Eye often reported on Al-Fayed making young female staff undertake rather intrusive medical examinations where he got the results, and asking why he was doing this.
Didn't come as a surprise to me at all.
